Collateral

Jake is young, wild, and runs with his brother's bad-ass gang. But he has a secret he needs to hide. When he is saved from a rival gang by a guy with eyes blue as the summer's sky, all dressed up in an Armani suit and moves like Bruce Lee, the walls he carefully built around him start to crumble.

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George Bernard Shaw would have enjoyed Collateral. Laura Fox's tale of a man falling in love with his creation is a 21st-century version of the classic Greek story and Mr. Shaw's Pygmalion.

Klaus, a wealthy German industrialist, coerces an American gang leader into leaving his younger brother Jake in the older man's care. It's collateral for a proposed business transaction. Afraid of what his brother would think, Jake takes his time before succumbing to Klaus' advances. As the young man changes, so does his mentor. A relationship of unequals evolves until a new balance is achieved.

I dislike most gay romance stories. They tend to be overly-dramatic, full of silly endearments, and extremely predictable. Most readers will figure out how the story ends early enough but it won't distract from their enjoyment. This is one case where the journey is much more interesting than the destination. Well written and fast-paced, Collateral should be atop your reading list.

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You think you know exactly how your life will turn out? Read this story.

You think you know who you’re supposed to be with? Read this story.

The other half of your heart doesn’t have to look like you or sound like you, they just have to love you; All differences fade in the reality of true love. I don’t know if Laura was trying to capture that here but capture it she did.

In case you couldn’t tell, I think “Collateral” is an amazingly good read. Thanks again, Laura.